Signs of Life: Beginnings
by InspireMusic
Summary: Being trapped in her still world, she is ready to face her future, all she is hopes for is that she's making the right choice. Inspired by the song "Signs of Life" by Poets of the Fall, comes the first part of this young woman's life of unexplored wonders.
1. No turning back

Lying on her bed on this silent summer night, her head was running with thoughts; overlapped one another. She lies there, seeming lifeless; just thinking.

'_You make the decision, Karen. Just know that I'm here to support your choice.'_

'_You make me treat you like a little girl by the choices you make. You make me do these things to you!'_

'_Karen, you know you have a place to stay! I won't leave your side no matter what.'_

'…_You could be the one I'll always love.'_

Tears finally flowed down her cheeks. All of these thoughts, all from people she cares about, finally got to her. Looking out her window is a world she longs to discover. Being trapped under this house for so many years, she finally had enough.

"I'll make my choice tonight." She said out loud.

Getting up from her soft bed, she took her messenger bag in hand. With a careful hand, she opened her bedroom door slowly. Her big brown eyes roamed the hallway, seeing if everyone was in their deep slumber. She double checked her bag to see if she had everything she would need for an outing into her quiet town.

Walking towards the front door, she got one last look at the place she calls home.

"…If you could call it a home." She said out loud.

Without a second thought, she opened the door to the unknown while closing the door of her painful past.


	2. Walking

Walking in the clear moonlit night outside her home, she stopped by the black car. "Her" Black Charger. Putting a hand over its hood, she felt its cool metal while running her hand over the motionless car.

"One thing's for sure, I'll be leaving you behind. Ha, you were never mine to begin with... But you were my first car."

Reaching the end of the car, she gave it one last pat and was on her way.

She kept on walking until she reached the end of her street. Even in a little town like this one, she was surprised to see it so still at night, so peaceful, so beautiful. Looking up to the sky, she saw the millions of little lights dancing in the darkness. Finally spotting the moon, she looked at its wondrous light.

"You would've helped me with him, right?"

She marveled at the moon, thinking about her long gone grandmother. Without fail, she would talk to the girl's father; always making him change his mind on things that had to do with the girl. Now that she's gone…

She kept on walking; going up towards her old high school. Her butt started to vibrate all at once; the familiar tune of her phone ringing.

'_Who's calling me so late at night?'_

She took her phone out of her back pocket and looked at the person calling.

Cincy.

Seeing her name on her phone brought a smile back to her face. She picked up, not trying to give away her shaking voice to her.

"Hello?"

"Karen! You left work without saying bye to me! Are you okay?"

Cincy would be the second person to worry about her. The first would have been her parents, but to her it was Artemis.

"Yeah, I'm okay, just taking a walk around the block." Karen tried to sound as cheerful as she could, but she knew that Cincy could read her like a book and know that she was bluffing.

"Karen, it's kind of late to be taking a walk around the block, don't you think?"

Karen didn't want to tell Cincy what was going on or what was going to happen... Not yet.

"Cincy… I'll talk to you about it once I know more about it myself. Right now, I'm going up to see him."

"Awe. Going to see Artie huh?" She gave off her famous laugh, which made Karen burst out laughing too.

That's what she liked about Cincy. No matter how bad of a mood Karen was in, she managed to bring that sweet smile everyone loved out of her. Karen can really say that Cincy is a true friend.

"Okay girl, I'll leave you to your walking! You just better tell me what happens, okay?" Cincy said.

"Yes ma'am! I'll call you later."

With that, Karen put her phone back into her back pocket and continued walking towards her set fate.


	3. Home

After what seemed like forever, she reached his house by foot. Even being so late into the night, she could see that everyone inside was wide awake and… Happy.

'_Karen… Know that I'll support you, no matter what your choice is.'_

Those words echoed through her like the wind flowed between her hairs; so smooth and relaxing.

'_You are my treasure, my gem, my forever crystal blue rose'_

"Artemis… I know what to do now." She whispered to herself.

She pulled out her phone and started to dial his number. His phone only rang once, to her surprise.

"Karen?" His voice sounded worrisome.

"Artemis? Can you come outside, in the back?"

"Yeah, you're out here?" His voice asked, now puzzled.

She let out a chuckle after he asked.

"Yeah, I'll explain once you come out."

"Okay, I'm on my way." The line went dead.

She stood there, thinking about how to tell him what she wanted to tell him. They've wanted to do this for a long time, but now that it's really going to happen…

"Karen." He was finally was out, standing in front of her. She stood there, speechless. All she could do is smile at him; she always did when she would look at him. He would always question why her smile was so big, but not tonight. Tonight his first reaction was to hold her close to him.

"What are you doing here so late? Where's your car?" He whispered in her ear.

"I walked here; I need to tell you something…"

He parted slightly from their embrace to look at her warned out face. He looked at her with so many questions. Thinking of why she would walk to his place, knowing he could have picked her up or he could have driven to her place. Anything, but he didn't question this tonight. Tonight she was here, in his arms.

"What do you need to tell me, Karen?"

She took in a deep breathe in.

"I love you, Artemis, with everything that I am. You know that I would do anything for you."

"Yes, and I love you Karen. Very much."

He kissed her lips very tenderly, to prove to her that he's not all talk, but also action. Tears flowed down her cheek, letting go of all the fear she felt that moment. They parted lips, and he directly went to wipe her tears away.

"Karen, what is it that you need to tell me?"

With a shaking voice and unsure voice, she finally let that fear that was holding on to her go and spilled her choice.

"Artemis, I want to move in with you!..."

His eyes went wide when she said that. His grip on her soften a bit, as to show that he slightly didn't believe what was coming from her mouth.

"… As soon as I can. I know that we tried once before, but this time I mean it. I'm tired of living in that hell I call a home! I feel like I'm dead over there!"

He felt her anger raising just by the way her eyes went from sweetness to hate in a matter of seconds. He held her as tight as he could once more, in case she popped like a shaken up soda bottle into the stillness of the night.

"Karen… I want you to mean it this time. I really want you to get out of there. Not because I'm telling you to do it, but because you need it! That place and those people, they don't deserve you."

She laid her head on his soft chest. He started to run his fingers through her soft hair, making her feel at ease. He kissed her head as she kissed his chest.

"I do mean it, Artemis. I really do this time. I'm ready to move on from that place and go where I feel like I'm really wanted. I feel like you really want me here, all of you. Artemis, I-"

He kissed her. That was his gratitude. He held her tight as he spun her around, knowing that would force her to laugh that sweet laugh he loves to hear from her.

"I hate when you do that!" She told him as he playfully punched his side. He groaned in response and once again held her tightly.

"Wait… Is that why you came here walking?" He looked at her puzzled. She turned bright pink as he looked into his hazel eyes.

"I… Wanted to see how it would be for a night…"

He gave her a devilish smile and swept her off her feet.

"Well… Let us find out then." His licked her ear, which he knew was a turn on for her and started to walk towards his house, together.

As they reached the door, Karen remembered something important that she had to do.

"Hold on, I got to tell Cincy about this! I told her I'd let her know."

He put her down to the ground with ease.

"For course, don't take too long."

"I won't." She said, giving her that sweet smile he loved. They shared one more kiss before he went inside to give the ladies some privacy.

Karen took out her phone from her back pocket once more, found Cincy's number and waited for her answer.

"Karen, about time you called girl! What happened?" She asked, dying to hear the news.

"Well, Cincy. Let me tell you…"


End file.
